Uncoupling device



July 15, 1930. 0. K. KJOLSETH 1,770,785

UNGOUPLING DEVICE Filed Decv 14, 1928 Inventor Ol e K. K jols'eth,

His Attorney Patented July 15, 1930 UNITD stares OLE x. KJOLSETH, on SCOTIA, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO GENERAL ELECTRIC coMrANY, j

wages a icE A CORPORATION or new YORK UNCOUPLING 'nnvion Application filed December 14, 1928." see no. 325,951.

My invention relates to uncoupling devices, for locomotives or cars, of the type having two independently movable operating rods, and has for its object the provision of a device of this kind which is of simplified construction and which can be readily produced. I accomplish this by providing an uncoupling device comprising a pivotally supported cou pling release lever having two crank arms eX- tending therefrom, axially rotatable operating rods adapted to extend adjacent opposite sides of the car, and an arrangement connecting the operating rods to t cranks for providing independent movement of the operating rods in actuating the release lever.

My invention will bemore fully setforth in the following description reierring to the accompanying drawing and the features of novelty which characterize my invention will be pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this specification.

In the drawing Fig. 1 is aperspective view of my uncoupling device applied to a locomotive or car, and Fig. 2 is a side elevation of my uncoupling device, the position to which the device is moved in uncoupling a locomotive or car being indicated in dotted lines.

Referring to the drawing I have shown my uncoupling device in connection with locomotive or car 10 having an end sill 11 and a coupling 12 which is provided with a vertically movable coupling pin 13 which is raised and F lowered in the usual manner. The coupling pin 13 is raised and lowered by axially rotatable operating rods 14 extending adjacent the sides of the car which are supported von brackets 15 and 16 secured to the end sill 11,

the operating rods being provided with de-' pending handles 17 for convenience in actu-.

ating them.

It is desirable, particularly, on switching locomotives, which are usually provided with a platformon the front end thereof for brakeside 'mi ht strike the ne lifting lever men, that the operating rodsld be operable independent of each otheryfor the reason that if abrakeman standing on one side raises the handle 17 when the coupling or uncoupling is done, the raising of the handle 17 on the other 50 brakeman standing thereon and cause him to lose his footing on the platform. l'naccordance with my invention, therefore, I connect the coupling 13 to the operating rods l4: by providing a coupling release lever 18 of substantially T-shape and support the coaxial portions thereof on brackets 19 secured to the end sill. ;The ends of the coaxial portions of the release lever BX tend beyond the bracketsli) and are bent upwardly at 20 to form cranks. The movable end of the release lever is connected to the coupling pin 13 byjlinks 21 and the cranks 20 of the release lever are connected to'the opera ating rods l iby meanswhich permits actn-.

ation of one offthe operating rods independ- I ently of the other. In the particular construction illustrated, I do this by forming cranks 22 on the ends of the operating rods 14 which are retained in the desired relation to the bracket 16 by collars 23. The cranks 22 are connected to the cranks 20 by links2i of such length that the cranks 20 and are substan tially parallel. The links 24; are pivotally connected at 25 to the cranks 20 and are pivotally connected to the cranks 22 by a cross-pin 26 which is slidable in an aXially eXt-ending slot 27 formed in the links. By this construction when one of the levers 17 is actuated the coupling 13 will be raised by the connection including the crank 22, link 261., crank 20, release lever 18 and links 21, the position of the linkage being indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2. At the same time the other lever 17 will remain in its lowered position because the cross-pin 26 in the end thereof will slide axially in the slot 27 formed in the link 24.

Modifications of the particular form of uncoupling device which I have disclosed will not desire my invention to be limited to the particular arrangement described except as it is set forth in the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. An uncoupling device for locomotives or cars comprising a pivotally supported coupling release lever having two crank arms extending therefrom, axially rotatable operating rods adapted to extend adjacent opposite sides of the car and having crank arms thereon, and means including links connecting said operating rod cranks to said lifting lever cranks for providing independent movement of said operating rods in actuating said release lever.

2. An uncoupling'device for locomotives or cars comprising a pivotally supported coupling release lever having two crank arms extending therefrom, axial-1y rotatable operating rods adapted to extend adjacent op posite sides of the car and having crank arms thereon, and means connecting said operating rod cranks to said lifting lever cranks for providing independent movement of said operating rods in actuating said release lever, said means including links having a sliding joint connecting at one end and a pivotal connection at the other end.

3. An uncoupling device for locomotives or cars comprising a pivotally supported cou pling release lever having two crankarms extending therefrom, axially rotatable operating rods adapted to extend adjacent opposite sides of the car and having crank arms thereon, and means connecting said operating rod crank to said lifting lever crank for providing independent movement of said operating rods in actuating said release lever,

said means including links having a sliding pivotal connection at one end and a pivotal connection at the other end.

l. An uncoupling device for locomotives or cars comprising a coupling release lever of substantially T-shape, and having crank arms on the coaxial branches thereof, means for pivotally supporting said release lever for movement about said coaxial branches, axially rotatable operating rods adapted to extend adjacent opposite sides of the car and having crank arms thereon substantially parallel to the crank arms of said release lever, and means connecting said operating rod cranks to said lifting lever cranks for providing independent movement of said operating rods in actuating said release lever.

5. An uncoupling device for locomotives or cars comprising a coupling release lever of substantially T-shape, and having crank arms on the coaxial branches thereof, means for pivotally supporting said release lever for movement about said coaxial branches, axially rotatable operating rods adapted to extend adjacent opposite sides of the car and having crank arms thereon substantially parallel to the crank arms of said release lever, and means connecting said operating rod cranks to sald l fting lever cranks for providing independent movement of sald operating rods in actuatnw said release lever, said means lncluding lllfiiS having a sliding joint connection at one end and a pivotal connection at the other end.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 13th day of December, 1928.

OLE K. KJOLSETI-I. 

